Memories of final day misery make Dawson feel sick as Spurs face another fight

Michael Dawson has experienced the
full range of emotions when it comes to Champions League decision day.
From the euphoria of qualification, to the bitterness of failure, the
Tottenham centre-half has eight years of tales to tell as well as a
smattering of Champions League games — from wins at the San Siro to
defeat at the Bernabeu.

But
nothing cuts quite as deep as the disappointment of his first season at
the club, 2005-06, when a breakthrough appeared to be on the horizon.
Having been fourth since December, victory on the last day at West Ham
would secured Tottenham in that position, a place higher than north
London rivals Arsenal. It was a role reversal of today’s scenario, with
Tottenham in control of the final league positions. Fourth place would
ultimately have been enough to secure Champions League football.

Infamously,
a vomiting virus depleted Spurs the night before the game. Dawson was
one of 10 players affected. Michael Carrick could barely walk and
Tottenham feared they wouldn’t have 11 players fit to play, but the game
went ahead. Spurs lost 2-1, Arsenal won 4-2 at home to Wigan and the
Champions League would have to wait another four years.

Hurt: Michael Dawson doesn't want to miss out on the Champions League again

Shot: Emmanuel Adebayor hits a volley during training

Dawson recalled: ‘From being in prime
position and then waking up that morning and feeling the way we did, we
couldn’t believe it. Knowing what was riding on it, it was an absolute
disaster.

‘I was one of
those struck down but I played. Well I was out on the pitch, anyway. You
can’t describe it, when you have worked 10 months of the season and it
comes down to the final day. It wouldn’t have been so bad if we had lost
fair and square, but honestly there were six or seven of us out there
struggling.

‘You can imagine what it was like running around feeling like that. It took it out of you.’

Then
there was last year’s heartache, when Tottenham did finish fourth but
were denied their place because sixth-placed Chelsea went on to win the
Champions League and take the place as tournament winners.

Fed up: Michael Dawson doesn't want to lose out on a Champions League place again

Relationship: The Spurs players are all trying tooth and nail to secure fourth spot

‘You can’t believe it,’ said Dawson.
‘We finished fourth and deserved to be in it. To miss out the way we did
is amazing. It obviously wasn’t meant to be. Last year we weren’t even
out on the pitch to do anything about it. We watched the Champions
League final on television, and when it went to penalties I thought, “Is
this really happening?” We knew if Chelsea won that was it for us.
Football can be cruel but we have come back this year and fought again.

‘It’s gone down to the last day again but hopefully this time the luck will be with us.’

This
time, of course, Tottenham don’t hold their fate in their own hands.
They would have to win and hope that Arsenal drop points to make the
all-important top four — despite being seven points clear of their
rivals with 10 games to play when they beat them at White Hart Lane at
the beginning of March.

‘We
said after the game that it wasn’t done and dusted,’ said Dawson. ‘It
was a massive result and great beating our rivals, but there were an
awful lot of games still to be played. Give them credit, they’ve had a
brilliant run. They kept fighting but it’s not over yet and we’ve got
one game to go.

Helping hand: It will take more than a Spurs win, however, as they need Arsenal to drop points

‘We’ve set out for years to try to be
established in the Champions League. You look at the players who have
signed from a young age and now are a lot older and have been through an
awful lot: myself, Aaron Lennon, Tom Huddlestone, Gareth Bale.

‘Those are players who have been here a long time have been though the hard times and the good times.

‘They’ve
come a long way and hopefully you can keep building. Players have come
in — we’ve signed some great players over the years and some great
players have gone — but we keep improving. I think that’s what the
football club is about.

‘You’ve got to keep freshening it up to keep improving.’

That
said, the improvement might come about a lot more quickly should they
be a Champions League club by the end of today, rather than a Europa
League side.